Steel Mills

JSW Steel USA Accelerates Upgrades
Written by Sandy Williams
August 11, 2020
JSW Steel plans to accelerate its plans to overhaul its U.S. facilities in Ohio and Texas. Both plants have been idled due to weak demand and pricing resulting from COVID-19 impacts.
The plant in Mingo Junction, Ohio, will receive an upgrade to its 1.5-million-ton capacity electric arc furnace and is expected to restart production in March. Due to a deficiency of steel slabs in the U.S., the Ohio plant will change its focus from coils to slabs, said Parth Jindal, director of U.S. operations.
The pipe mill in Baytown, Texas, is scheduled for repairs to equipment as well as operational efficiency improvements that will cut costs.
“Our plan is to reduce the losses and be extremely frugal and focus on completing these projects,” Jindal said in an interview with Bloomberg. “From next year onward, we truly believe the U.S. operations will be well positioned to be earnings accretive to JSW Steel.”
The U.S. operations recently changed leadership with Mark Bush, formerly of SSAB, stepping in as CEO to replace John Hritz. Hritz is continuing his tenure with JSW Steel with a new focus on strategy and legal affairs.
Jindal said that JSW Steel Ltd. remains “very committed” to its USA operations.
“Once the modernization projects are completed and we bring down our cost curve, then we see no reason why the U.S. business can’t generate positive earnings,” he said. “It still remains an important part of our organization and all efforts are on to turn around the operations.”

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills

Cleveland-Cliffs quietly removes name from Steelton mill
The Cleveland-Cliffs name has been removed from its idled Steelton rail mill. SMU asked Cliffs about the move and if it might signal that it is selling the mill...

Nucor sees sequentially lower Q3 profits across all three business segments
Nucor's third-quarter earnings will be down quarter-over-quarter, but still higher than a year earlier.

Hyundai still on for Louisiana steel mill despite US raid at Georgia battery plant
Hyundai has reaffirmed its commitment to build a steel plant in Louisiana following a US government immigration raid at its battery facility in Georgia.

Hybar lowers output forecast, owning up to EAF startup delay
Hybar LLC’s rebar mill in Osceola, Ark., is now melting scrap and will soon be fulfilling orders, according to CEO David Stickler, despite a six-to-eight-week delay caused by commissioning the world’s first Aura electrical system.

Steel Dynamics guides to more metal, more money in Q3
Steel Dynamics Inc. is bullish heading into the close of the third quarter, with all three of its operating segments tracking higher.